Dishwasher condenser system

ABSTRACT

The dishwashing apparatus of the invention is provided with a cold water supply conduit so that an inside wall can be kept wet with a cold water film during the drying portion of the cycle in order to condense the water evaporated from the dishes.

United States Patent 1 Landwier 1 DISHWASHER CONDENSER SYSTEM [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: The Maytag Company, Newton,

Iowa

[22] Filed: Mar. 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 236,942

Related U.S. Application Data [60] Division of Ser. No. 90,062, Nov. 16, 1970, Pat. No. 3,704,170, which is a continuation of Ser. No. 739,558, June 24, 1968, abandoned.

William G. Landwier, Newton, Iowa 52 us. c1 ..134/l05,l34/200,34/75 511 Im. C1 ....B08b3/02 58 Field of Search ..134/105,200;34/75 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,216,388 10/1940 Hampel 134/200 UX 1451 Apr. 9, 1974 3,295,541 1/1967 Ummel 134/200 X 2,390,757 12/1945 Voris 134/105 UX 2,717,456 9/1955 Smith 34/75 2,859,755 11/1958 Burke 134/99 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,380,262 10/1964 France 134/200 Primary Examiner-Robert L. Bleutge Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William G. Landwier; Richard L. Ward [57] ABSTRACT The dishwashing apparatus of the invention is provided with a cold water supply conduit so that an inside wall can be kept wet with a cold water film during the drying portion of the cycle in order to condense the water evaporated from the dishes.

1 p 4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is a division of copending application Ser. No. 90,062 filed Nov. 16, 1970 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,704,170 which in turn is a continuation of Ser. No. 739,558 filed June 24, 1968, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to apparatus, such as dishwashers, for washing and drying dishes and has reference in particular to dishwashers having a water film condensing system.

2. Description of the Prior Art Dishwashing machines generally devote the terminal portion of the sequence of operations to a dish drying operation in which the moisture laden vapors are exhausted from the washing chamber into the room atmosphere. Prior patents in the dishwasher art show little or no activity directed to overcoming this undesirable characteristic. The closest prior art is related to clothes dryer apparatus such as shown in Smith U. S. Pat. 2,717,456, issued Sep. l3, 1955, and assigned to the assignee of the instant invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention contemplates that dishwashing apparatus, wherein the dishes are washed with water and then dried by heat, be provided with a cold water film during the drying portion of the cycle in order to condense the water which is evaporated from the dishes. More par-' ticularly, the invention proposes that dishwashers be provided with a cold water supply conduit and that an inside wall-be kept wet with a cold water film for condensing the water evaporated from the dishes.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a condensing system for dishwashers which will essentially include a cold water supply conduit, a solenoid valve and necessary piping for discharging a film of cold water onto an interior wall of the dishwasher. A wide cold water film on an interior wall of a dishwasher such as described has proven effective in con- FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and showing the cold water supply conduit for producing the water film.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG. 1, the numeral 10 indicates the cabinet of a dishwasher having side walls 11, a base portion 12, a top control panel 13, and an interior washing and drying chamber 14. The side walls 11 of the dishwashing device may include an outer portion of insulating material l5 and an inner metal portion 16 having the characteristic smooth surface and extending from top to bottom of the chamber. The inner surface may'be coated to provide proper corrosion resistance. The bottom of the drying chamber 14 is formed by the bottom plate 17 which provides the sump 18. The supports within the drying chamber for supporting the dishes are indicated by numerals 20,21 and 22 and the spray arm for the washing water is indicated by the numeral 23. Access means (not shown) is provided to permit access into the chamber for loading and unloading the articles being washed. v

In accordance with the invention a cold water supply pipe or conduit 24 communicates with a spray tube 25 located adjacent the inner portion 16 of one wall within the drying chamber ane more particularly in the vicinity of the top of the wall. The metal supports or brackets 26 are employed for supporting the conduit from said wall. The said spray. tube 25 is provided with a plurality of spray openings 27 and the solenoid valve 28 controlling flowof cold water to the spray tube 25 is located exteriorly of the drying chamber.

In the dishwashing apparatus as disclosed, the dishes are washed with hot water and then dried by heat. During the drying cycle the solenoid valve 28 is energized to cause the same to open for spraying cold water from the spray tube 25 and form a film 29 on the wall inner densing the moisture with a relatively low heat input DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the device and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a dishwasher, partially in section, and illustrating the improvements of the invention; and,

portion 16 within the chamber 14. This interior wall surface of the dishwasher is thus kept wet by a film 29 of cold water as shown in FIG. 1. The cold water film will effectively condense the water evaporated from the dishes during the drying cycle. The cold water and condensate will flow to the sump 18 and then to a drain (not shown).

Although the water film condensing system of the invention requires the addition of a cold water valve with attendant piping, the construction'of the cabinet is,

however," simplified by eliminating. the need for vents. The exhausting of hot air, water vapors and detergent odors into the room is thereby substantially eliminated.

densed and discharged to drain. This condensing cycle may be accomplished in a chamber without intentional circulation of the air. Increased circulation of air, how- 7 ever, may be introduced by an auxiliary fan associated with the heater.

As a by-product of the present dishwasher condensing system, it may be found desirable to use the cold water supply for a preliminary cold water rinse.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawings, as various other formsof the device will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a dishwashingapparatus for performing a cleaning treatment of articles, said apparatus being operable for selectively washing said articles with water during a washing cycle and for evaporating moisture from the articles during a drying cycle by the application of heat,

the combination comprising: means defining a closed washing and drying chamber and including effectively imperforate side walls forming a lining for the chamber, said closed chamber effectively trapping within its confines air and said evaporated moisture, and a cold water supply means having an egress for pro'ecting cold water onto at least ant of said side wa ls to fo mi vapors toward the cold water film under the influence of differential vapor pressures.

.2. In a dishwashing apparatus as defined in claim I wherein said cold water supply means includes a perforate spray tube disposed within said chamber.

3. In dishwashing apparatus for performing a'cleaning treatment of articles, said apparatus being operable Y for selectively washing said articles with water during a washing cycle and for evaporating moisture from the articles during a drying cycle by the application of heat, in combination, means providing a closed chamber withinwhich the articles are washed with water and dried, said chamber having effectively imperforate side walls forming a lining for the chamber and effectively trapping within its confines air and said evaporated moisture, and condensing means for the closed chamber including cold water spray means located adjacent one of said walls for spraying a film of cold water onto said one wall to form a water condensing surface within said chamber for condensing water vapors from the moisture-laden air trapped within and circulating within said chamber under the sole influence of nonmechanically induced circulation including the directing of the water vapors toward the cold water film under the control of differential vapor pressures.

4. Dishwashing apparatus as defined by claim 3 additionally including a solenoid valve for controlling the supply of cold water to said cold water spray means. 

1. In a dishwashing apparatus for performing a cleaning treatment of articles, said apparatus being operable for selectively washing said articles with water during a washing cycle and for evaporating moisture from the articles during a drying cycle by the application of hEat, the combination comprising: means defining a closed washing and drying chamber and including effectively imperforate side walls forming a lining for the chamber, said closed chamber effectively trapping within its confines air and said evaporated moisture, and a cold water supply means having an egress for projecting cold water onto at least one of said side walls to form a cold water film during said drying cycle and provide a water condensing surface within said chamber for condensing the moisture evaporated from the articles, said moisture-laden trapped air being circulated within said chamber under the sole influence of non-mechanically induced circulation including the directing of the water vapors toward the cold water film under the influence of differential vapor pressures.
 2. In a dishwashing apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said cold water supply means includes a perforate spray tube disposed within said chamber.
 3. In dishwashing apparatus for performing a cleaning treatment of articles, said apparatus being operable for selectively washing said articles with water during a washing cycle and for evaporating moisture from the articles during a drying cycle by the application of heat, in combination, means providing a closed chamber within which the articles are washed with water and dried, said chamber having effectively imperforate side walls forming a lining for the chamber and effectively trapping within its confines air and said evaporated moisture, and condensing means for the closed chamber including cold water spray means located adjacent one of said walls for spraying a film of cold water onto said one wall to form a water condensing surface within said chamber for condensing water vapors from the moisture-laden air trapped within and circulating within said chamber under the sole influence of non-mechanically induced circulation including the directing of the water vapors toward the cold water film under the control of differential vapor pressures.
 4. Dishwashing apparatus as defined by claim 3 additionally including a solenoid valve for controlling the supply of cold water to said cold water spray means. 